Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana
Encyclopedia
Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana is a Namibia
n politician and the Secretary-General of the South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO).
Iivula-Ithana was born in Uukwandongo, Omusati Region. She was active in the SWAPO Youth League and was in exile from 1974 to 1989; she became Secretary of the SWAPO Women's Council in 1980. Immediately prior to independence, she was a SWAPO member of the Constituent Assembly, which was in place from November 1989 to March 1990, and since independence in March 1990 she has been a member of the National Assembly of Namibia
. She was Deputy Minister of Wildlife, Conservation and Tourism from 1990 to 1991, Minister of Youth and Sport from 1991 to 1996, and Minister of Lands, Resettlement and Rehabilitation from 1996 to 2001. She was moved from the latter position to that of Attorney-General on January 26, 2001. In March 2005, when President Hifikepunye Pohamba
took office, she was appointed to the additional post of Minister of Justice.
At SWAPO's August 2002 congress, Iivula-Ithana placed 23rd in the election for the Central Committee, receiving 310 votes. She was elected as Secretary-General of SWAPO at the party's November 2007 congress, becoming the first woman to hold that position. On this occasion it was also decided that the post of Secretary-General would become a full-time salaried position, and consequently it was expected that Iivula-Ithana would leave her posts of Justice Minister and Attorney-General at the time of the next cabinet reshuffle. However, she remained in all three posts by the time of a meeting of the SWAPO Central Committee in early August 2008. It was reported that there were internal SWAPO disagreements at this meeting regarding the issue of Iivula-Ithana's multiple jobs, with President Pohamba wanting to remove Iivula-Ithana from her Cabinet posts in accordance with the SWAPO resolution on making the Secretary-General's job full-time, while former President Sam Nujoma
's supporters wanted her to remain in all of her posts and opposed implementing the resolution.
Justice Minister Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana will be brought to court for blocking recommendations by the Magistrates' Commission.
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
n politician and the Secretary-General of the South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO).
Iivula-Ithana was born in Uukwandongo, Omusati Region. She was active in the SWAPO Youth League and was in exile from 1974 to 1989; she became Secretary of the SWAPO Women's Council in 1980. Immediately prior to independence, she was a SWAPO member of the Constituent Assembly, which was in place from November 1989 to March 1990, and since independence in March 1990 she has been a member of the National Assembly of Namibia
National Assembly of Namibia
The National Assembly of Namibia is the lower chamber of the country's bicameral Parliament. It has a total of 78 members. 72 members are directly elected through a system of party-list proportional representation and serve five-year terms. Six additional members are appointed by the President.The...
. She was Deputy Minister of Wildlife, Conservation and Tourism from 1990 to 1991, Minister of Youth and Sport from 1991 to 1996, and Minister of Lands, Resettlement and Rehabilitation from 1996 to 2001. She was moved from the latter position to that of Attorney-General on January 26, 2001. In March 2005, when President Hifikepunye Pohamba
Hifikepunye Pohamba
Hifikepunye Lucas Pohamba is the second and current President of Namibia. He won the 2004 and 2009 presidential elections overwhelmingly as the candidate of the South West Africa People's Organisation ruling party, taking office in March 2005. He has also been the President of SWAPO since...
took office, she was appointed to the additional post of Minister of Justice.
At SWAPO's August 2002 congress, Iivula-Ithana placed 23rd in the election for the Central Committee, receiving 310 votes. She was elected as Secretary-General of SWAPO at the party's November 2007 congress, becoming the first woman to hold that position. On this occasion it was also decided that the post of Secretary-General would become a full-time salaried position, and consequently it was expected that Iivula-Ithana would leave her posts of Justice Minister and Attorney-General at the time of the next cabinet reshuffle. However, she remained in all three posts by the time of a meeting of the SWAPO Central Committee in early August 2008. It was reported that there were internal SWAPO disagreements at this meeting regarding the issue of Iivula-Ithana's multiple jobs, with President Pohamba wanting to remove Iivula-Ithana from her Cabinet posts in accordance with the SWAPO resolution on making the Secretary-General's job full-time, while former President Sam Nujoma
Sam Nujoma
Samuel Daniel Shafiishuna Nujoma is a Namibian politician who was the first President of Namibia from 1990 to 2005. He led the South-West Africa People's Organisation in its long struggle against South African rule and took office as President when Namibia obtained independence on 21 March 1990...
's supporters wanted her to remain in all of her posts and opposed implementing the resolution.
Justice Minister Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana will be brought to court for blocking recommendations by the Magistrates' Commission.